Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Tuesday’s matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights.

Oilers vs. Golden Knights Odds

  • Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -125
  • Vegas Golden Knights Moneyline: +105
  • Puck Line: Oilers +1.5 (+190), Golden Knights -1.5 (-250)
  • Game Total: 6.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.

Handicapping the Oilers (13-11 SU, 8-16 ATS, 10-13-1 O/U)

Edmonton seems to have benefited from their time away from the rink. They headed into their five-day break on a high note with a 6-2 win over the Rangers, but they had lost three of four games before that, with injuries starting to pile up. While they’re not completely out of the woods on the injury front, the Oilers have now won three in a row for the first time this season, including a solid 4-1 victory over the Avalanche in Colorado.
The Oilers didn’t play their best hockey in Utah, but they found a way to win and followed it up with a much better performance in Denver the next night. Edmonton controlled 53 percent of the shots and 60 percent of the expected goals, while Stuart Skinner delivered one of his best games of the season. It was one of the most complete performances we’ve seen from the Oilers lately and much closer to what we’d expect from this group.
Speaking of the lineup, Zach Hyman is set to practice with the team ahead of Tuesday’s game in Vegas and is a possibility to return after missing the last four games. Meanwhile, Viktor Arvidsson hasn’t returned to practice, and there’s still no timetable for his return. It’s encouraging that Edmonton is scoring so much, though, even if it is mostly driven by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. 
I say mostly because the Oilers earned a 4-1 win against Colorado despite just one assist from McDavid and no points from Draisaitl. Other players are stepping up, and that’s a good sign for the team moving forward. However, getting Hyman back, hopefully with better scoring touch, could really move the needle in this game.

Handicapping the Golden Knights (15-10 SU, 13-12 ATS, 16-8-1 O/U)

The Fortress started the season strong, with the Golden Knights winning eight straight at home, but lately, cracks have started to show. Vegas has lost three of its last four at home, including a brutal 6-0 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday. On the bright side, captain Mark Stone returned to practice Monday—albeit in a non-contact jersey—for the first time in a month after missing 12 games due to injury.
Even without Stone, the Golden Knights have stayed on top of the Pacific Division with a 6-4-2 record during his absence. They’ve also dealt with injuries to key players like William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo along the way. However, their recent form won’t be enough to keep the division lead, especially with teams like the Oilers closing in.
Before Stone’s injury, Vegas was scoring at a blistering pace, tied for the most goals per 60 minutes in the league. Since then, their offense has plummeted into the bottom 10, dropping from 4.42 goals per 60 with Stone to just 2.63 without him. Head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Stone will miss Tuesday’s game, leaving the Golden Knights still searching for answers on offense.
Vegas scored four or more goals in eight out of their first 13 games, but they’ve scored three or fewer goals in eight of their last 12 games, including two shutout losses. However, because starting goaltender Adin Hill improved a lot in November, they’ve managed to cover up this issue for the most part. That’s not to say Vegas has been good defensively, though. The Golden Knights rank 24th in shot attempts against and 27th in expected goals against (per 60) at five-on-five this season.

Best Bet for Oilers vs. Golden Knights

Edmonton has won five of their last seven games in Vegas, but the Oilers’ moneyline odds have held at -125 since the market opened. Like me, most bettors are likely waiting for confirmation on Hyman’s status before backing the Oilers at that price on the road. That said, there’s nothing stopping me from betting on the following player prop.

Connor McDavid Over 3.5 Shots On Goal (-105)

McDavid hasn’t disappointed in many betting markets. He’s scored goals seven out of 11 games since returning, which matches the number of multi-point games he has. However, given that he’s registered four or more shots on goal in eight out of his last 10 outings, betting that he’ll go over three and a half shots at -105 odds remains an appealing proposition. 
The fact that Vegas ranks among the worst teams in the league when it comes to suppressing shots doesn’t hurt, and although McDavid finished with just two shots against Vegas on Nov. 6 at home, it was his first game back from injury, and Stone’s last before being injured. He’s also registered 25 shots on goal combined in his last five trips to Sin City.